Gesticulating puppet having a human like configuration, particularly adapted for direct television transmission and/or kinescopic television transmission of scenographic performances



Oct. 19, 1965 MARIA CALDURA NE PEREGO 3,212,213

GESTICULATING PUPPET HAVING A HUMAN LIKE CONFIGURATION, PARTICULARYADAPTED FOR DIRECT TELEVISION TRANSMISSION AND/OR KINESCOPIC TELEVISIONTRANSMISSION OF SCENOGRAPHIC PERFORMANCES Filed Oct. 14, 1963 N VE NTOR.

I MAR/A CALDURA nee'PEREGO AGENT.

United States Patent 3,212,213 GESTICULATING PUPPET HAVING A HUMAN LIKECONFIGURATION, PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR DIRECT TELEVISIGN TRANS- MISSIONAND/OR KINESCOPIC TELEVISION TRANSMISSIDN OF SCENOGRAPHIC PER- FORMANCESMaria Caldura ne Perego, Via Parcello Pucci 6, Milan, Italy Filed Oct.14, 1963, Ser. No. 315,948 6 Claims. (Cl. 46-135) This invention relatesto television scenographic performance techniques in direct televisiontransmission and/ or kinescopic television transmission when usingmarionette-puppets, animated by operators not visible to the spectators.

Scenographic performances by means of marionettepuppets, animated byoperators not visible to spectators, are known. According to these knowntechniques, the puppets assume various operating configurationsdepending upon whether the animation by the operator occurs directly bymanipulation of the puppet or indirectly through flexible-wire actuationmeans. In the first case, there are the so-called Punch and Judy showpuppets which, to be animated by'direct manipulation, have an incompleteshape and are restricted to the figurative representation only of theupper part of the character which is connected to a flexible sleevewhich receives the operators arm for the animation of the puppet. Inthis case, the effectiveness of the scenographic performance isconsiderably limited due to the incompleteness of the character and itsstructural nature which, for the figurative part, is normally limited torigid stylized configuration forms.

In the second case the puppets are so-called marionettes which areanimated through flexible-wire actuation means and can have a morecomplete shape than the Punch and Judy puppets but, because of theanimation system, the scenographical repertoire is very limited andhardly true-to-life. In both cases the puppets animation often requiresthe action of a number of operators, so that because of theirsimultaneous presence a further limitation arises in the repertoire tothe extent of causing the marionette to appear motionless with respectto the scenery.

The operators who are not visible to the spectators usually arecamouflaged in black, against a black backdrop so that the puppet itselfis presented to the observer on a black background to the effect thatbackground and operators may blend.

Earlier performances were given to audiences with the direct attendanceof public spectators, without giving rise to a simultaneous orsubsequent re-transmissi-on of the performance. With the moderntechniques of simultaneous telecast and subsequent kinescopicre-transmisvsions, performances of thiistype with conventional puppetshave been found to be unsuitable with regard to both the limitation ofrepertoire and the need for the operators to disappear against the darkbackground; this requires under-exposure from the viewpoint of theluminous intensity of the images to be shot, which results intechnically imperfect and illegible images at times.

It is the main object of this invention to provide the possibility ofcarrying out direct and/ or kinescopic telecast of scenographicalperformances by means of a puppet simulating a living creature having agenerally human configuration, which can be directly animated with awide wide range of movement affording a large sceno graphicalrepertoire.

It is another object of this invention to provide a puppet simulating aliving creature having a human con- 3,212,213 Patented Oct. 19, 1965figuration, which can be animated with gestures, actions and movementsof parts or organs of the puppet themselves with a high degree ofeffective mimicry.

It is still another object of this invention, conforming with the ideaof one or more of the preceding objects, to provide a puppet accordingto the invention, not required to operate on the basis of outsidelighting effects but instead capable of creating an image or figure witha self-illumination whereby the image appears satisfactorily lighted,while the operator or operators are so scarcely lighted as to bepractically invisible when camouflaged in black against a blackbackground.

It is still a further object of the invention to make it possible toobtain a more accentuated flexibility of the body or mass of theanimatable puppet as well as a higher elasticity thereof so as to afforda wider range of mobility of said puppet to the entire advantage of theperformance.

A further but not last object of the invention consists in creating bythis puppet the figure of a living creature having a humanconfiguration, adapted to pursue the preceding objects by using aparticularly effective practical structure of easy handling and of lowcost.

These and other objects are attained by the puppet simulating a figureof a living creature according to this invention having a humanconfiguration, particularly adapted for scenographical performances indirect television and/or kinescopic telecast transmission, which ischaracterized by a body or mass of material having high characteristicsof flexibility, development softness and having a size which ispreferably of the order or slightly greater than a mans hand forallowing said puppet to be animated according to a widespread repertoireof gestures, actions and movements of high mimic effect, derived fromthe individual action of the fingers of one operators hand and combinedaction of both the hands of the operator, acting advantageously with twofingers of one hand driven through the rear part of the puppet anddirected from above downwardly into the interior of the lower limbs andholding with the other hand the rear control means for the upper part ofthe puppet, said control means being structurally so arranged as to bemanoeuvrable by the combined action of parts or members connected to theupper part of the puppet. The material of high flexibilitycharacteristics from which the body or mass of the animatable puppet ismade is advantageously provided from the type derived from thesolidification of foam of synthetic resins having a cellular(sponge-like) structure of which also a further characteristic, whichhas been heretofore unobserved in sponge-like synthetic materials, isdeliberately jointly exploited for optical purposes. It is, in fact,well known that these sponge-like synthetic materials are obtained bysolidification of suitably prepared emulsions. As a consequence of sucha kind of processing, said synthetic materials of the sponge-like typeare constituted of a structure in which each cell or alveolus forms atleast a small face or facet, so that there is collectively a pluralityof facets, which behave, when lighted, as a reflector body. In such way,the necessary conditions are thus obtained to the effect that with thesame illumination the puppet produces a lively image during the shootingwhich image is in contrast with practically nonexistent image, of theoperators, camouflaged against the respective background. In the furtherdevelopment of this invention, another characteristic of the sponge-likeplastic materials, of which no profit has been taken up to now in theart, is optically deliberately exploited in the specific technical fieldof the scenographical performances by directly animatable puppet; it is,in fact, well known that such sponge-like plastic materials, by virtueof their cellular structure, absorb the light rays and diffuse themthroughout their mass to the extent that, for example, the

body of a relatively substantial thickness, only one side of which isdirectly illuminated will practically be lighted with diffused lightalso on the opposite side.

With particular but non-limiting reference to the kinescopic and/ortelecast shooting, such a characteristic is now translated into asubstantial elimination of shadow zones and into extremely advantageouslighting possibilities, in relation to objects such as puppets andfigurative bodies having a considerable physical consistency, ascompared with what could ever be obtained by means of the usualmaterials, in which an internal optical diffusion was only possible inrelation to objects having substantially two dimensions, i.e., anegligible thickness. Further characteristics and advantages will becomemore apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred butnonlimiting embodiment of the animatable puppet according to thisinvention, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an elevational side view with some parts removed and someothers in section in order to better show the various member with theiroperating and functional structure; and

FIGS. 2 and 3 show details of the controlling mechanisms in enlargedscale.

The embodiment represented in the drawing is described hereunder merelyby way of example as a puppet simulating a small living creature havinga human configuration. Such small creature is made in its generalphysical structure of a material having high flexibility and softnesscharacteristics like that obtained by solidification of emulsions ofsuitably prepared synthetic resins giving rise to a structure of thesolidified material having a cellular (sponge-like) configuration.

The humanlike-animal-simulating puppet according to the inventioncomprises a head 4, a trunk 27, arms 26 and legs 37 substantially madeof the above mentioned expanded plastic, elastic, cellular material withreflecting internal facets. Each part of the puppet is elasticallydeformable, thanks to the material used, by means of headcontrollingmeans, leg-controlling means and hand-controlling means.

The head-controlling means are constituted of a handle which isstructurally formed of two spaced members 1 and 2 having a substantiallytubular rod-like configuration. The members 1 and 2 are connected andmaintained spaced from one another by means of a clip or elastic clampmember 3 which, due to its own elasticity, allows relative rotation ofthe members 1 and 2 thereabout and serves consequently as a fulcrumtherefor. The tubular rod-like members 1, 2 are embedded within thecellular or expanded plastic material forming the body of the puppet.The members 1 and 2 extend through the head 4 of the puppet and projectwith their ends from the rear part of the head in such a manner that byacting upon said handle members 1 and 2 and because of the elasticaction of the engagement clamp member 3 there occurs the opening andrespectively the closing of the mouth 5 of the puppet under said elasticaction.

Parallel to the members 1 and 2 and contiguous thereto, there isprovided therebetween a tubular member 6 into which is driven arod-shaped member 7 extending through said tubular member 6 up to thecavity of the mouth 5 at which same is connected with a member 9simulating the tongue of the puppet by means of an elastically flexiblerigid cable element 8. Said member 7 is guided within the aforesaidtubular member 6 in such a way as to be able alternately to slidelengthwise and swing around its own axis, when actuated on its free end7a. In this way, besides the opening of the mouth 5 through theactuation of the handle members 1 and 2, the gradual putting out and/orrespectively the swinging of the tongue 9 may be carried out by actingaccordingly on said sliding and swinging rod member 7. The tubularmembers 1 and 2 provide communication means putting the cavity of themouth 5 into communication with the outside at the neck of the puppet inorder to provide operating animation possibilities of the puppetresembling emissions and deglutitions of products by the puppet itself.The members 10 of the puppet are eyes of the puppet oscillatably encasedinto corresponding recesses provided in the expanded plastic material ofthe puppets head and simulating eye orbits.

The eyes 10 are made in the form of a ball whereon eyelashes are securedand the iris and cornea are depicted. The part of the eyeball beyond theeyelashes simulates the eyelids. The eyeball 10 may oscillate around theaxis 11 in such a way as to take variable positions, including those ofopening and respectively closing the eyes. The eyeballs 10 are providedinside the head 4 with projections 19a connected at their ends by across rod 1% on which there is articulated in 12 the end of a small rod13 (FIG. 2) the other end of which is articulated in 14 at one end of alever 15 pivoted in 16 and at the other end of which the end of a returnspring 17 is connected which spring is fixed with its other end to afixed point 18 of a plate 19 embedded into the head 4 and providing thesupport means for the fulcrum 16 and the fulcrum of the axis 11connecting the eyeballs and capable of rotating in the fulcrum 110. Atthe same end of the lever 15 there is connected the end of the stem 20of a plunger 21 sliding in a sleeve 22 carried fixed in 23 on said plate19.

To this sleeve 22 there is connected the end of a member 24 in the formof a rather stiff tube or hose into which a flexible cable member 25 ofthe well known Bowden cable type is inserted. The end 25a of the Bowdencable is connected with the aforesaid plunger 21 and controls the latterwhen the opposite outer end of the Bowden cable is actuated. The arms 26of the puppet, due to the nature of material from which the structuralmass of the puppet is made, are movable with respect to the body 27. Thegesticulation of the hands 28 is controlled by handcontrolling meanscomprising for each hand two rod elements 29 and 30 having their upperends bent as at 29a and 30a, respectively. The bent ends 29a, 30a areembedded in two fingers of the hand while the rods 29 and 30 areslidably inserted in tubular sheath 31, 32 embedded with the upper endsthereof in the palm of the respective hand. Fixed on the embedded end ofthe tubular member 32 are elastic rod elements 30b and 300 embedded inthe ring and little fingers respectively. The tubular members 31 and 32are elastically engaged with one another by elastic connection means 33.The bent end 29a of the member 29 is embedded into the thumb of thehand, whilst the bent end 30a, is embedded in the forefinger of thehand. At the free ends of members 29, 30 and 32 are provided controlknobs in the form of vanes 34, 35, 36, suitable to insure theindependent actuation of members 29, 30, 32 for the individual orcombinated animation of the hand and/or fingers. The legs 37 have each acavity 38 extending into the corresponding leg from the foot 39 to itsupper part where such cavity 38 outwardly opens at the rear of thepuppet to allow the introduction of an operator's finger 40 in each legfor the actuation of the puppet by the operator as will be seenhereinafter. The legs controlling means are provided in part on thebottom of the cavity 38 where a thimble member or a tip member 41 madeof rigid material and underneath said member 41 there are provided,embedded into the foot 39, two tubular members 42 and 43 extending fromthe forward end of said foot 39 up to the rear part of the leg abovesaid thimble member 41. Said tubular members 42 and 43 have a section 44which is elastically articulated near the central part of the sole ofthe foot 39 to allow also the foot to be bent if desired. Into eachtubular member 42, 43 a Bowden-type cable member 45 and 46,respectively, is inserted which is connected at one end with anarticulated lever system consisting of the articulated levers 47 and 48,said levers being embedded into the big toe 49 and in the remaining toesof the foot, (no

shown). As shown in FIG. 3, lever 47, 48 is of the elbow type and ispivotably pivoted on a pivot 147 which extends transversely to the toesand on which is pivoted also another identical elbowed (not shown) leverjuxtaposed to the lever 47, 48 and controlled by the Bowden cable 42,while lever 47, 48 is controlled by the Bowden cable 43. The returnspring of the Bowden cable is constituted of spring member 44 abuttingwith one end thereof against the contiguous end of the stiff sheath 43(FIG. 3) and abutting with the other end thereof against a block 144rigidly connected with the cable 46. Cable 45 and 46 are actuatedthrough knobs 50 in the usual manner.

From the above description it clearly appears how the puppet can beactuated by one single puppeteer according to a widespread repertoire ofgestures, actions and movement of high mimic and spectacular effectwhich is instilled in each animatable part and particularly in thoseparts of the body which are mostly subjected to contraction movements byputting from the rear side two fingers 40 of the operators hand into thecavity 38 of legs 37 of the puppet and holding with the other hand thecontrol members 1 and 2 as an operating elastic handle for the movementsof the mouth and tongue, it being also possible for the operator tosimultaneously actuate with the free fingers of his hands the cablemember 25 for the actuation of the eyes and the control member 50 forthe movements of the toes. With his mouth on the tubular members 1 and 2the operator may provide operating animation possibilities resemblingthe emissions and deglutitions of various products by the puppet. Alsothe actuation of the arms 26 is controlled by the operator in view ofthe flexible nature of the constitutive material of the puppet and inconsideration of the general noncontracted position of such limbs,whilst particular movements of said arms and hands may be governed fromtime to time by a second operator, depending upon the performancerequirements, by operating the control means 34, 35, 36 as formerlydescribed.

In this way, it becomes apparent that one not only obtains the movementsoffered by each operating hand but also those movements deriving fromthe combination of the combined displacements of both hands between oneanother as for example in connection with characteristics, walks,inclinations of the puppet body in each direction and the like.Consequently, one obtains a kind of animation with marked advantagesover the specified techniques known heretofore, i.e.; maximumimprovisation possibilities due to the fact that the puppet is governedby one single main operator; reduction of the number of the operatorswith the consequent minimum space required by the bodies of the sameoperators, which heretofore has compelled the marionette-puppet to asort of motionlessness with respect to the scenography; as a furtherconsequence, there are larger movement possibilities of the puppet withrespect to the scenographical performance field and wider possibilitiesof quick displacements permitting the puppet to participate in anytheatrical event sequence thanks to a wide repertoire of gestures,actions and movements of high mimic and spectacular eflect. Furthermore,with particular reference to the nature of the cellular (spongelike)synthetic material, there is to be noted the particular advantagesafforded by the puppet according to this invention when the performanceis carried into effect in relation to simultaneous shooting facilitiesor subsequent retransmission facilities, in which the optical phenomenaof which the invention deliberately takes profit so neatly affect theimage quality given the puppet so as to ensure an observation of suchqualities even by naked eye, so that the puppets find advantageousapplications even in direct theater performances.

It will be appreciated that the elastic porous highly flexiblesponge-like light reflecting synthetic material of which the puppet ismade allows high elastical deformations through which the volume or atleast a dimension thereof may be increased or diminished several timeswith respect 6 to the size of such volume or dimension in the normalcondition.

The elastic synthetic material of which the body of the puppet is madeis preferably obtained from the expanded polyurethane resins known underthe commercial name Moltopren as produced by the firm of Bayer, ofLeverkusen, Germany.

I claim:

1. A three-dimensional puppet for high-lighted performances against adark background, comprising an anthropomorphic integrally formedsubstantially solid body of an internally reflecting cellular resilientsynthetic-resin material illuminable over limited areas of said body toprovide an impression of internal lighting of over substantially thewhole surface thereof, said body having a torso, a head member flexiblymounted on said torso, a pair of arm members flexibly extending from anupper portion of said torso and a pair of leg members flexibly dependingfrom a lower portion of said torso, said leg members being formed withupwardly and rearwardly open passages for receiving respective fingersof an operator and individual movement thereby, said leg members eachbeing provided with respective movable foot portions, said head memberbeing formed with an opening in said resilient material defining amouth; first mechanism in said leg members and controllable externallythereof in the region of said passages for moving said foot portionsrelatively to the remainder of the respective leg members; and secondmechanism received in said head member and ex tending rearwardlytherefrom, but terminating in the immediate vicinity of said head memberfor distending said material in the region of said mouth openingselectively to form mouth movements.

2. A three-dimensional puppet for high-lighted performances against adark background, comprising an anthropomorphic integrally formedsubstantially solid body of an internally reflected resilient foamedpolyurethane material illuminable over limited areas of said body toprovide an impression of internal lighting over substantially the wholesurface thereof, said body having a torso, a head member flexiblymounted on said torso, a pair of arm members flexibly extending from anupper portion of said torso and a pair of leg members flexibly dependingfrom a lower portion of said torso, said leg members being formed withupwardly and rearwardly open passages for receiving respective fingersof an operator and individual movement thereby, said leg members eachbeing provided with respective movable foot portions having flexibletoes, and head member being formed with an opening in said resilientmaterial defining a mouth; first mechanism imbedded in said leg membersand controllable externally thereof in the region of said passages ofmoving said toes of said foot portions relatively to the remainderthereof, said first mechanism including a lever imbedded in each of saidfoot portions and extending into the toes thereof, respectiveflexiblecable means connected at the end of each of said levers, andhandle means externally of said leg members for operating saidflexible-cable means; and second mechanism received in said head memberand extending rearwardly therefrom, but terminating in the immediatevicinity of said head member for distending said material in the regionof said mouth opening selectively to form mouth movements.

3. A three-dimensional puppet for high-lighted performances against adark background, comprising an anthropomorphic integrally formedsubstantially solid body of an internally reflecting cellular resilientsynthetic resin material illuminable over limited areas of said body toprovide an impression of internal lighting over substantially the wholesurface thereof, said body having a torso, a head member flexiblymounted on said torso, a pair of arm members flexibly extending from anupper portion of said torso and a pair of leg members flexibly dependingfrom a lower portion of said torso, said leg members being formed withupwardly and rearwardly open passages for receiving respective fingersof an operator and individual movement thereby, said leg members eachbeing provided with respective movable foot portions, said' head memberbeing formed with an opening in said resilient material defining themouth; first mechanism in said leg members and controllable externallythereof in the region of said passages for moving said foot portionsrelatively to the remainder of the respective leg members; secondmechanism received in said head member and extending rearwardlytherefrom, but terminating in the immediate vicinity of said head memberfor distending said material in the region of said mouth openingselectively to form mouth movements, said head member being furtherprovided with a pair of recesses forming eye sockets; a pair ofgenerally spheroidal eye members movably received in said sockets andhaving a common axle interconnecting said eye members for joint rotationabout the axis of said sockets; and third mechanism imbedded in saidhead member and operable externally thereof for rotating said axle, saidthird mechanism including a support rotatably receiving said axle, alink fulcrumed on said support and coupled with said eye members fordisplacing same on said axle, and flexible-cable means cooperating withsaid link and extending from said head member for operating said eyemembers.

4. A three-dimensional puppet for high-lighted performances against adark background, comprising an anthropomorphic integrally formedsubstantially solid body of an internally reflecting resilient foamedpolyurethane material illuminable over limited areas of said body toprovide an impression of internal lighting over substantially the wholesurface thereof, said body having a torso, a head member flexiblymounted on said torso, a pair of arm members flexibly extending from anupper portion of said torso and a pair of leg members flexibly dependingfrom a lower portion of said torso, said leg members being formed withupwardly and rearwardly open passages for receiving respective fingersof an operator and individual movement thereby, said leg members eachbeing provided with respective movable foot portions having flexibletoes, said head member being formed with an opening in said resilientmaterial defining a mouth, said arm members being provided with flexiblefinger members first mechanism imbedded in said leg members andcontrollable externally thereof in the region of said passages formoving said toes of said foot portions relatively to the remainderthereof, said first mechanism including a lever imbedded in each of saidfoot portions and extending into the toes thereof, respectiveflexible-cable means connected at the end to each of said levers, andhandle means externally of said leg members for opening saidflexible-cable means; second mechanism received in said head member andextending rearwardly therefrom, but terminating in the immediatevicinity of said head member for distending said material in the regionof said mouth opening selectively to form mouth movements, said headmember being further provided with a pair of recesses forming eyesockets, a pair of generally spheriodal eye members movably received insaid sockets and having a common axle interconnecting said eye membersfor joint rotation about the axis of said sockets; and third mechanismimbedded in said head member and operable externally thereof forrotating said axle, said third mechanism including a support rotatablyreceiving said axle, a link fulcrumed on said support and coupled withsaid eye members for displacing same on said axle, and furtherflexible-cable means cooperating with said link and extending from saidhead member for operating said eye members; and fourth mechanismimbedded in said arm member for selectively displacing at least some ofsaid finger members.

5. A manually operable puppet comprising an anthropomoropous bodyintegrally formed from a cellular synthetic resin and having a torso anda head member, a pair of arm members and a pair of leg members flexiblyaflixed to said torso; and actuating means for said members imbedded insaid body while extending outwardly thereof for manipulating said headand leg members, said leg members being provided with upwardly openpassages terminating at the rear of said body for receiving the fingersof a manipulator, said actuating means for said leg members includingfoot-control means imbedded in said body for displacing the extremitiesof said leg members, said foot-control means having manually movablemeans adjacent the openings of said passages for operation by the handof the manipulator, the fingers of which are received in said channels,said head member being formed with an opening defining a mouth, andactuating means including a mechanism for spreading and synthetic resinin the region of said mouth for varying the configuration thereof, saidmechanism comprising two juxtaposed rod members spaced from each otherand embedded in said body while having diverging handle portionsprojecting outwardly of the rear of said body and an elastic connectingmember elastically connecting said rod members at an intermediateportion thereof the ends of said rod members opposite to said handleportions terminating above and below said mouth, an extendable tonguemember at the region of said mouth between said rod members, a sheathmember in alignment with said tongue member rearwardly arranged theretowith said body and a stem member slidable and rotatable within saidsheath member and connected with one end thereof to said tongue memberand with the other end thereof projecting from said sheath memberoutwardly of the rear of said body, said stem member having a handleportion for longitudinally shifting and rotating said tongue member, andmovable eye means in said head member, said actuating means including afurther mechanism for displacing said eye means and a flexible cableoperable externally of said body for activating said further mechanism.

6. A puppet as defined in claim 5 wherein said rod members are tubularenabling the discharging and imbibing of material through said mouth.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,070,920 1/63Bunin 46156 X 3,099,894 8/63 Carroll 46-123 X FOREIGN PATENTS 914,9737/46 France. 1,126,494 7/56 France.

371,130 3/23 Germany. 594,022 3/34 Germany. 835,088 5/60 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES De Bell, J. M. et al.: German Plastics Practice,Springfield, Mass., De Bell & Richardson, 1946. TP 986A 2D 32, pages463-465 relied on.

Germany, 7727X1, Nov. 29, 1956.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

1. A THREE-DIMENSIONAL PUPPET FOR HIGH-LIGHTED PERFORMANCES AGAINST ADARK BACKGROUND, COMPRISING AN ANTHROPOMORPHIC INTEGRALLY FORMEDSUBSTANTILLY SOLID BODY OF AN INTERNALLY REFLECTING CELLULAR RESILIENTSYNTHETIC-RESIN MATERIAL ILLUMINABLE OVER LIMITED AREAS OF SAID BODY TOPROVIDE AN IMPRESSION OF INTERNAL LIGHTING OF OVER SUBSTANTIALLY THEWHOLE SURFACE THEREOF, SAID BODY HAVING A TORSO, A HEAD MEMBER FLEXIBLYMOUNTED ON SAID TORSO, A PAIR OF ARM MEMBERS FLEXIBLY EXTENDING FROM ANUPPER PORTION OF SAID TORSO AND A PAIR OF LEG MEMBERS FLIXIBLY DEPENDINGFROM A LOWER PORTION OF SAID TORSO, SAID LEG MEMBERS BEING FORMED WITHUPWARDLY AND REARWARDLY OPEN PASSAGES FOR RECEIVING RESPECTIVE FINGERSOF AN OPERATOR AND INDIVIDUAL MOVEMENT THEREBY, SAID LEG MEMBERS EACHBEING PROVIDED WITH RESPECTIVE MOVABLE FOOT PORTIONS, SAID HEAD MEMBERBEING FORMED WITH AN OPENING IN SAID RESILIENT MATERIAL DEFINING AMOUTH; FIRST MECHANISM IN SAID LEG